3 ms·

What's the tax situation like for these people? Do they have any new responsibilities after being "found" by the government?

throwaway0a5e 6y ago
Generally speaking the people who are not tracked are part of marginalized groups (which is often why they weren't trying to engage in the first place and why government wanted nothing to do with them) that tend to have an on again off again somewhat abusive relationship with government. By signing up you might get healthcare today but the contents of your row in the database could get you screwed if political winds shift (having the wrong religion or ethnicity on your official government records is a much bigger liability outside the west).
- thatguy0900 6y ago
  That's kind of what I was wondering. I can't imagine a person in modern governments being unknown unless they had no interest in being known, is that out of ignorance of what the government is offering them or because the tradeoffs arnt worth it to them?
  - Clewza313 6y ago
    The Operasi Koteka debacle of the early 1970s is a nice illustration: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koteka https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koteka TL;DR: The government objected to Papuan tribesmen wearing only penis gourds and airdropped a bunch of pants for them, with predictable results.
  - renewiltord 6y ago
    At least in India it's because interacting with the government is a huge pain in the ass. You don't do it unless you have to. It just so happens that it's rapidly becoming the case that you do have to.
renewiltord 6y ago
India's lowest tax bracket is zero-taxed. That's up to 20k INR (270 USD) monthly. You don't have to file if you have zero tax (unless you meet one of the other weird conditions that is aimed at people who make lots of money in 'weird' ways - abroad, cap gains, etc.). In practice, these people don't have to file. The increased responsibilities are: * They're tied to the national ID which has biometrics and all that shite * If they make more than the exemption (which can happen occasionally) they have to file now. In practice, they'll just dodge it since they work 'informally' (i.e. the guy who goes out fishing and then has his wife sell at the local market isn't having income deducted by an 'employer') * I don't recall particularly, but I think they also stick you with a religion and an ethnicity field (for affirmative action stuff). Not sure about this so check. This one makes me nervous if it's real. But it's just so much more beneficial to be known to exist. If the government simply doesn't know, it won't particularly look. Some bureaucrat in the big city will look at the blank spot and put a desal plant there and then they'll come evict you. At least if you are known to exist, you can fight the eviction temporarily or get some money.

throwaway0a5e 6y ago

Generally speaking the people who are not tracked are part of marginalized groups (which is often why they weren't trying to engage in the first place and why government wanted nothing to do with them) that tend to have an on again off again somewhat abusive relationship with government. By signing up you might get healthcare today but the contents of your row in the database could get you screwed if political winds shift (having the wrong religion or ethnicity on your official government records is a much bigger liability outside the west).

thatguy0900 6y ago
That's kind of what I was wondering. I can't imagine a person in modern governments being unknown unless they had no interest in being known, is that out of ignorance of what the government is offering them or because the tradeoffs arnt worth it to them?
- Clewza313 6y ago
  The Operasi Koteka debacle of the early 1970s is a nice illustration: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koteka https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koteka TL;DR: The government objected to Papuan tribesmen wearing only penis gourds and airdropped a bunch of pants for them, with predictable results.
- renewiltord 6y ago
  At least in India it's because interacting with the government is a huge pain in the ass. You don't do it unless you have to. It just so happens that it's rapidly becoming the case that you do have to.

renewiltord 6y ago

India's lowest tax bracket is zero-taxed. That's up to 20k INR (270 USD) monthly. You don't have to file if you have zero tax (unless you meet one of the other weird conditions that is aimed at people who make lots of money in 'weird' ways - abroad, cap gains, etc.). In practice, these people don't have to file. The increased responsibilities are: * They're tied to the national ID which has biometrics and all that shite * If they make more than the exemption (which can happen occasionally) they have to file now. In practice, they'll just dodge it since they work 'informally' (i.e. the guy who goes out fishing and then has his wife sell at the local market isn't having income deducted by an 'employer') * I don't recall particularly, but I think they also stick you with a religion and an ethnicity field (for affirmative action stuff). Not sure about this so check. This one makes me nervous if it's real. But it's just so much more beneficial to be known to exist. If the government simply doesn't know, it won't particularly look. Some bureaucrat in the big city will look at the blank spot and put a desal plant there and then they'll come evict you. At least if you are known to exist, you can fight the eviction temporarily or get some money.